'tips' on Serious Eats

As I said earlier today, I believe you can always pick up tips from an experienced pizzamaker, no matter how much of a pie prodigy you think you are.* Something simple I learned during my Pizza a Casa experience? Use a spice/cheese shaker to dust your work surface with flour.More

If you're serious about baking and pizza-making, a scale is a worthwhile investment. By measuring by weight, you're guaranteed accuracy, no matter how you pack the flour. Weighing your ingredients directly in the mixing bowl also means there are no extra measuring cups to wash. More

Most vegans (and Neapolitan pizza lovers) are probably well aware of this fact, but if you are friends with vegan folk, you never, ever have to worry about eating pizza with them if you keep this in mind: "Most wood-fired places serve a traditional pie called a marinara consisting of tomato, sea salt, oregano, basil (one leaf), olive oil, and garlic. It's almost always vegan, and delicious."

We're always looking for good tips to pass on to readers here at Slice. This one came in from Dan Dickinson. Anyone else with tips on calzones and/or slices and/or pies should feel free to e-mail or AIM. DD (6:33:19 PM): I seriously had the best calzone of my life today. DD (6:33:32 PM): Transcendent! nycslice (6:36:46 PM): where at? DD (6:37:09 PM): Fraiche -- 73rd and York DD (6:37:38 PM): Fresh semolina bread, fresh mozzerella, tomato sauce, and a little basil DD (6:37:38 PM): $5.49 DD (6:37:54 PM): The fresh mozzarella sealed it -- so much better than shredded... More

And the tips keep rolling in ...I am a big fan of your site. I live and eat in Brooklyn and have come across some very good wood-fired brick-oven (it's about 100 years old and imported brick by brick from Italy) pizza at Mona Lisa Bakery in Bath Beach. Over the course of the last few months, it has replaced Tottono's (which I have found to be inconsistent over the last few years) as my second-favorite Neapolitan-style pie in Brooklyn (I haven't been to Franny's yet, and yes, Grimaldi's is still number one in my book). I'd love for you... More

Friend of Slice Cyrus Farivar responds to our last entry about Berkeley pizza hotspots: Ok, firstly, as far as East Bay rags go, the Berkeley Daily Planet is not exactly a gold standard. This is the same paper that in 2002, following a random possible hate crime against a rabbi and his son, ran the headline "The Jews Are Attacked Near Campus." (And yes, I'm biased, I was an editor at the Daily Californian.) The Telegraph joints (Blondie's, Fat Slice) are good given their proximity to campus, but not for much else. If you're near campus and you can't do... More

Our Google-mashup pizza map has been getting quite a few hits today. And when we get above-average traffic and new readers, we usually get new tips. Here are two, first from Nadia: I was just checking out your site when I noticed that no williamsburg pizza joints were reviewed. I think you should start with the best one in my opinion. The place is called Carmine's, located on Graham near Metropolitan. They are super good! Thanks, Nadia! We'll hit up Carmine's next time we're getting our hipster fix in W'burg. And now for this one: Sacco's on 9th ave three... More

James, a Slice reader, sends us this tip: I was at Manganaro's Hero-Boy [492 Ninth Ave., b/n 37th and 38th] yesterday and saw they were putting in pizza ovens. Home to the best chicken parm in the nyc, the pizza should be great. I could drink there sauce!!!!! Thanks for the tip, James! If you have a tip for us here at Sliceimminent pizzeria openings, overlooked neighborhood gems, etc.,either e-mail me directly (adam [at] sliceny [dot] com) or submit it using our tips form at right.... More